A council leader has hit back at bin lorry drivers on the picket line today in a dispute over pay and conditions.

About 30 Brighton and Hove City Council refuse and recycling workers forfeited a day’s pay to make their feelings known outside the Cityclean depot in Hollingdean.

They are protesting because of the “unskilled” pay band in which they are currently categorized, though council leader Jason Kitcat says the truck drivers' demands threaten to undermine equal pay law.

He said: “This is about 26 refuse truck drivers unhappy that five street cleaning charge hands now earn the same as them as a result of last year’s fair allowances agreement and following a nationally-recognised job evaluation exercise.

"It’s surprising that the GMB aren’t happy that some of their members in street-cleaning saw an increase in take-home pay from last year’s allowances settlement.

“No pay is being cut and no jobs are under threat. This GMB action creates misery for residents and puts senior management at Cityclean in an impossible position and threatens all the good work happening behind the scenes.

“Cityclean has new leadership in Richard Bradley and long-awaited new refuse collection vehicles arriving to help manage technical problems seen over the summer.

"I’m also keen to see Cityclean bidding for commercial contracts to help support the council’s difficult budget position.

"Unfortunately GMB’s action seriously jeopardises this.

“I’m confident that senior officers are keeping an open door to the union and very much hope both sides can reach a sensible resolution which does not undermine the fair and equal system of pay and allowances now used. I’m very sorry that residents have to experience more disruption to their services due to GMB’s actions.

"I urge the union not to undermine the good progress just as things come into place to get the waste service the city deserves alongside fair pay for all workers.”

The bin drivers are currently on a par with teaching assistants in terms of salary.

They feel their skilled work - driving 26-ton, £150,000 vehicles - deserves better pay.

One driver, Paul Weston, 60, said: “We are all professional drivers.

“When I get into that lorry the responsibility is tremendous.

“I am responsible for the vehicle, the streets and for my colleagues.

“It’s not just about the money – it’s about being undervalued.”

Another, Derek Shrubb, 57, had worked for Cityclean since it started introducing recycling into its collections.

He said: “It’s gone backwards. We are not getting the work done.

“We used to have about 98% satisfaction among residents – I’d love to know what it is now.”

Today’s strike runs until midnight.

Gary Palmer, the regional organiser for the GMB union, said tomorrow would see work-to-rule action for the foreseeable future until the council sits down for talks.

“It is not a decision we have taken lightly,” he said.

The union has said that if the council doesn't agree to talks the dispute could roll on for months.

Have your bins been affected by today’s industrial action? Email adrian.imms@theargus.co.uk.